1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting member for connecting ends of predetermined members such as a photovoltaic cell module obtained by supporting an outer periphery of a photovoltaic cell panel by a frame body and a decorative cover arranged on an outer peripheral side of the photovoltaic cell module, and especially relates to the connecting member for connecting the ends of the predetermined members fixed in a state in which the ends thereof are floating.
2. Description of the Related Art
When installing the photovoltaic cell module obtained by supporting the outer periphery of the photovoltaic cell panel by the frame body on a roof, the photovoltaic cell module to be installed on the roof by attaching a mount longer than the photovoltaic cell module on the roof at an interval corresponding to an outer size of the photovoltaic cell module, then putting frame bodies of opposed sides of the photovoltaic cell module on the mount and attaching a long cover member on the mount from above the frame body is conventionally known (Patent Document 1). However, in Patent document 1, it is necessary to attach the mount on the roof at a predetermined interval in advance according to a size of the photovoltaic cell module, and so that it takes increased time and effort for installation of the photovoltaic cell module. As a result, there is a problem that the cost of installation increases highly.
Therefore, the applicant of this application suggests the photovoltaic cell module of the above-described patent application capable of being installed on the roof through a fixing member fitted to the frame body of the photovoltaic cell module from a side surface side from a direction perpendicular thereto and is slidable along the frame body (Patent Document 2). According to this, it is not necessary to attach the fixing member in advance according to the interval of the photovoltaic cell module and the photovoltaic cell modules may be sequentially installed on the roof from one end side (for example, from an eave side) and the time and effort of installation may be simplified and the cost may be reduced.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-144266
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-165499
However, in Patent document 2, in order to secure aeration property and the like below the photovoltaic cell module, the photovoltaic cell module is fixed with a space between the same and a supporting member, such as a roof board, the fixing member is formed so as to be short such as from one-sixth to one-twentieth the length of one side of the photovoltaic cell module and is fixed to the one side of the photovoltaic cell module at a plurality of sites, so that the end of the photovoltaic cell module is probably in a floating state. Therefore, when a plurality of photovoltaic cell modules are installed so as to be arranged in a planar manner, depending on a state of the roof board, a roof material and the like as the supporting member to which the fixing member is attached, displacement (especially displacement in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the supporting member) occurs between the ends of the adjacent photovoltaic cell modules and appearance of a photovoltaic power generation system composed of a plurality of photovoltaic cell modules becomes problematically bad.
Also, when the above-described displacement is found after the installation of the photovoltaic cell modules (or after attachment of the fixing member to the supporting member), it is necessary to remove once the fixing member from the supporting member, put a spacer and the like below the fixing member and attach again the fixing member, so that there is a problem of increased installation cost, and since attaching strength of the fixing member might be deteriorated depending on the material of the supporting member when the fixing member once attached is fixed again on the same position, the fixing member, that is to say, the photovoltaic cell module might not be installed in an optimal state.
Therefore, in consideration of the above-described circumstances, a problem of the present invention is to provide the connecting member capable of eliminating the displacement between the ends, preventing the cost of installation from increasing and making the appearance of the installed photovoltaic cell module excellent only by being attached to the ends of the predetermined members such as the photovoltaic cell modules and the decorative covers.